Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire's population grew between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in knowledge of the Welsh language, marriage and jobs.

The population passed 180,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Carmarthenshire increased by 6.3%, from almost 173,000 to 184,000.

The addition of just under 11,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Carmarthenshire was home to, on average, 0.56 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Carmarthenshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Carmarthenshire increased by three years, from 41 to 44 years.

This remote area had a slightly higher average age than Denbighshire (one of the most statistically similar areas to Carmarthenshire based on ONS area classifications) (44 years of age) and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 6,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 3,000.

About 13% of people in Carmarthenshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Carmarthenshire fell from 50% to 44% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

This was the largest decline in the proportion of Welsh speakers of any local authority area in the country. Of the few areas where knowledge of the Welsh language increased, Monmouthshire saw the largest change (from 9.0% to 9.9%).

There are 5,754 fewer people living in Carmarthenshire who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 16,023.

In Ceredigion (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Carmarthenshire), 47% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 52% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was higher than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More single people in Carmarthenshire

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Carmarthenshire, but at a slower rate than across Wales.

In Carmarthenshire, the proportion of single people increased from 25% in 2001 to 30% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 28% to 34%.

Across Wales, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 28% to 34%.

The proportion of married people in Carmarthenshire fell from 54% to 50%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10% to 12%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in rate of employment

Carmarthenshire saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of employed people.

During this period, Carmarthenshire fell below Powys to become the Wales local authority area with the fifth-lowest percentage of employed people.

In 2011, just under one in two (48%) people aged 16 to 74 in Carmarthenshire said they were employed, compared with 43% in 2001. The percentage that were unemployed increased from 3.4% to 3.7%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of employed people occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 44% to 50%) followed by Pembrokeshire (from 42% to 46%).

The rate of employment was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The proportion of households with children fell in Carmarthenshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Isle of Anglesey and Vale of Glamorgan.

Across Wales, the proportion of households with children fell from 30% to 28% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in nearby Ceredigion fell from 25% to 23%.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28%) households in Carmarthenshire had at least one dependent child, compared with 29% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 61% to 62%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with children occurred in Wrexham (from 30% to 30%) followed by Denbighshire (from 28% to 27%).

The proportion of households with children was lower than across Wales

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Carmarthenshire

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 29% said they had no religion. The figure increased from 29% in 2001

The number of people in Carmarthenshire that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 28,000 in 2001 to about 53,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 16% to 29% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious affiliation.

The percentage increased by less than the average across Wales (from 19% to 32%).

The number of people in Carmarthenshire that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 130,000 in 2001 to about 110,000 in 2011 (from 75% to 62%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 14,000 to just under 15,000. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 8.1% to 8.0%.

About 950 people (0.3%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from just under 540 in 2001 (0.5%).

The population without a religion in Carmarthenshire increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Carmarthenshire

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 98% said they were from the White ethnic groups. The figure increased from 98% in 2001

The number of people in Carmarthenshire from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 170,000 in 2001 to just over 180,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the local population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 98%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across Wales (from 98% to 96%).

The number of people in Carmarthenshire from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 730 in 2001 to just over 1,800 in 2011 (from 0.4% to 1.0%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just under 530 to about 1,000 (from 0.3% to 0.6%).

Just under 310 people (0.1%) said they were from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group), up from just under 230 in 2001 (0.2%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Carmarthenshire remained close to 98%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Carmarthenshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 14% to 8.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (75%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 62% in 2001. The percentage of Carmarthenshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 16%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell faster here than in nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 6.3%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Carmarthenshire decreased by 5.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

In Carmarthenshire, the proportion of private renting increased from 7.9% in 2001 to 12% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 8.6% to 14%.

Across Wales, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 14%.

The rate of social housing in Carmarthenshire fell from 17% to 15%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 72% to 71%.

Private renting in Carmarthenshire increased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Carmarthenshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.7% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 12%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12% to 9.3%.

Long hour working in Carmarthenshire decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Wales that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Carmarthenshire, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 6.3% to 8.8% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage that had only one person remained close to 30%, while the percentage of households in Carmarthenshire which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 37% to 34%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased faster here than in nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 9.1%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 7.5% to 9.7%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Carmarthenshire increased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Wales that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Carmarthenshire

The percentage of Carmarthenshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 5.2% to 5.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.4%, while the percentage of Carmarthenshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 87%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to nearby Ceredigion (which remained close 4.4%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 4.6% to 5.2%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links